Daily Reading – May 23, 2020

Jer. 3:6–18

3:6 When Josiah was king of Judah, the Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, you have no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done. You have seen how she went up to every high hill and under every green tree to give herself like a prostitute to other gods. 7Yet even after she had done all that, I thought that she might come back to me. But she did not. Her sister, unfaithful Judah, saw what she did. 8She also saw that, because of wayward Israel’s adulterous worship of other gods, I sent her away and gave her divorce papers. But still her unfaithful sister Judah was not afraid, and she too went and gave herself like a prostitute to other gods. 9Because she took her prostitution so lightly, she defiled the land through her adulterous worship of gods made of wood and stone. 10In spite of all this, Israel’s sister, unfaithful Judah, has not turned back to me with any sincerity; she has only pretended to do so,” says the Lord. 11Then the Lord said to me, “Under the circumstances, wayward Israel could even be considered less guilty than unfaithful Judah.

12 “Go and shout this message to my people in the countries in the north. Tell them,

‘Come back to me, wayward Israel,’ says the Lord.

‘I will not continue to look on you with displeasure.

For I am merciful,’ says the Lord.

‘I will not be angry with you forever.

13However, you must confess that you have done wrong,

and that you have rebelled against the Lord your God.

You must confess that you have given yourself to foreign gods under every green tree,

and have not obeyed my commands,’ says the Lord.

14 “Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says the Lord, “for I am your true master. If you do, I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion. 15I will give you leaders who will be faithful to me. They will lead you with knowledge and insight. 16In those days, your population will greatly increase in the land. At that time,” says the Lord, “people will no longer talk about having the ark that contains the Lord’s covenant with us. They will not call it to mind, remember it, or miss it. No, that will not be done any more! 17At that time the city of Jerusalem will be called the Lord’s throne. All nations will gather there in Jerusalem to honor the Lord’s name. They will no longer follow the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. 18At that time the nation of Judah and the nation of Israel will be reunited. Together they will come back from a land in the north to the land that I gave to your ancestors as a permanent possession.

Luke 24:36–53

24:36 While they were saying these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37But they were startled and terrified, thinking they saw a ghost. 38Then he said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; it’s me! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones like you see I have.” 40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41And while they still could not believe it (because of their joy) and were amazed, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42So they gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate it in front of them.

44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures, 46and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

50Then Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51Now during the blessing he departed and was taken up into heaven. 52So they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple courts blessing God.

[Luther writes,] “What else can Solomon intend with so many words (Prov. 4:24-27), do you think, than to keep us on the straight (schnurgleichen) path, that only God’s Word and way may stand out before our eyes, and no bypath, be it to the right or to the left, good or bad. But now man’s teachings are but mere bypaths and not the divine way (Richtstrasse).” (21)

This daily Bible reading guide, Reading the Word of God, was conceived and prepared as a result of the ongoing discussions between representatives of three church bodies: Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). The following individuals have represented their church bodies and approved this introduction and the reading guide: LCC: President Robert Bugbee; NALC: Bishop John Bradosky, Revs. Mark Chavez, James Nestingen, and David Wendel; LCMS: Revs. Albert Collver, Joel Lehenbauer, John Pless, and Larry Vogel.

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